Africa Reports Nearly 4,000 New Mpox Cases as Vaccine Wait Continues

Africa Reports Nearly 4000 New Mpox Cases as Vaccine Wait Continues

Africa is experiencing a surge in mpox cases, with nearly 4,000 reported in the past week, according to the continent's public health agency on Tuesday. The agency renewed its call for vaccines, which were expected to arrive this week but have been delayed.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported that 81 mpox-related deaths occurred in the past week, bringing the total number of cases and deaths to 22,863 and 622, respectively.

Western partners, including the European Union and the United States, have promised around 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines, Dr. Kaseya said. This is less than 15% of what is needed to control outbreaks, particularly in Congo, the epicenter of the global emergency.

In 2022, wealthy nations quickly deployed vaccines and treatments during mpox outbreaks outside Africa. However, despite repeated requests, only a small number of doses have reached African countries.

The first batch of vaccine doses promised to Africa is expected to arrive on September 1, following delays related to documentation and emergency authorization, according to Dr. Jean Kaseya.

This initial shipment will include 50,000 doses from the U.S. government and 15,000 from the vaccines alliance GAVI, stated Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, the Africa CDC's incidents manager for mpox.

Ngongo noted that the delivery of these vaccines is now dependent on the U.S. government's transfer process. Additionally, Congo has requested at least 2 million doses from Japan, which are particularly effective for children, with negotiations progressing well.

Ngongo also mentioned that the new mpox variant, first identified in Congo and responsible for the ongoing outbreaks, is already causing "significant" community transmission in other regions. In neighboring Burundi, nearly 800 mpox cases were reported last month.

The Africa CDC is developing a unified response plan for the outbreaks, which will be presented to African leaders at a meeting in September. Meanwhile, African countries are focusing on health measures and hygiene practices to curb the spread of the virus, according to Kaseya.

However, experts have pointed out that enforcing these measures is challenging in Congo, where millions of people displaced by violence are living in overcrowded camps amid a decade-long humanitarian crisis.

"Humanitarian efforts are struggling to contain the outbreak due to a lack of resources," said Heather Kerr, the International Rescue Committee's country director in Congo, highlighting the vulnerability of children in this situation.